TIMELINE
A New Idea on an Old Spin
Summer 1994
Steve Christini comes up with the concept for an all-wheel-drive mountain bike (bicycle).
June 1998
Steve quits his mechanical engineering job to design and build his AWD bicycle.
June 1999
Christini Technologies, Inc. is born.
2000
Idea for AWD off-road motorcycle starts to brew.
August 2002
First AWD bicycle sold to the public.
August 2002
In just four weeks' time, Steve Christini assembles the first Christini AWD motorcycle based on a CRF450R. The bike goes on display at the Interbike bicycle show in Las Vegas. Within 30 minutes the bike has Honda mechanics surrounding it.
September 2003
Second prototype, also based on a CRF450R, is shown at the next Interbike trade show.
Spring 2004
R&D of the second prototype. The normal spline drive is found to cause stiction and is changed to a linear bearing assembly. The rake is pulled back to mimic stock geometry, and the optimum ratio of power to the front end is closed in on.
July 2004
The improved second prototype is tested with magazines and manufacturers. Drive system weighs approximately 35 pounds. Drive system still uses heavy right-angle gearbox, heavy industrial parts, heavy torque-limiter and overbuilt gearbox teeth.
The drive system seems built...
The drive system seems built for the long haul, so we're going to Long Haul it.
Fall/Winter 2004
Developed third prototype based on CRF250X. Major changes included bringing the fork legs further back in relation to the steering head. Drive system loses significant weight, down to approximately 22 pounds, partially by going from steel to aircraft aluminum drive shafts, and the gearbox is angled rather than run straight down the frame backbone.
September 2005
Jeff Botsford races the bike in the muddy Unadilla GNCC. The bike and drive finish the muddy race fully functional, but wear and maintenance issues arise, including the need to move the torque-limiter inboard between the frame spars, and to increase the teeth size in the AWD gearbox.
Spring/Summer 2006
More R&D gets the drive finalized. Spline shafts now pass beyond the lower triple clamp to allow for a larger boot that does not limit travel, the system goes from external venting to internal venting to limit contamination, overall sealing is improved, custom seals and bearings are created, and weight is further reduced, mostly with design changes to the dropouts and triple clamps.
Fall 2006
Production begins on the gears, a six-month process.
January 2007
Production of the drive systems begins.
March 2007
First production Christini AWD motorcycle sold.
Fall 2007
You read about it in Dirt Rider!